South India · Tamil Nadu
Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu
Sources: wikimedia
Before you go
One of the Sapta Puri -- the 'city of a thousand temples' -- and home of the Kanchi Shankaracharya; also the silk capital.
About Kanchipuram
- Inland
Where it is
Kanchipuram is a temple and silk-weaving city in northern Tamil Nadu, on the Vegavathi river, a tributary of the Palar, about 72 km south-west of Chennai.
History
Kanchipuram was the capital of the Pallava kings from about the 4th to the 9th centuries, when it was also a great centre of learning visited by the Chinese pilgrim Xuanzang. Later ruled by the Cholas and the Vijayanagara empire, it is counted among the Sapta Puri, the seven sacred cities of Hinduism, and has long been home to the Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham.
People
Kanchipuram speaks Tamil, and many families weave the heavy silk saris with gold zari borders for which the city is famous. Temple festivals such as the Brahmotsavams of Varadaraja and Ekambareswarar fill the streets with processions and temple chariots.
Known for
- Kanchipuram silk saris
- The Pallava-era Kailasanathar Temple
- Ekambareswarar and Varadaraja Perumal temples
- The Kamakshi Amman Temple
- The Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham
Did you know?
The old town is traditionally divided into Shiva Kanchi, where the great Shiva temples stand, and Vishnu Kanchi, around the Varadaraja Perumal temple.
Shrines and sites
- Kamakshi Amman Temple
- Ekambareswarar Temple
- Kailasanathar Temple
- Varadaraja Perumal Temple
Traditions
- Hindu
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